I think accidentally dialing a wrong number is probably the most random way for two human beings to get connected. Even if just for a few seconds. I mean, think about it. There’s you, and then there’s this other person who you don’t know, and because you dialed a number that was just one digit off, the two of you are now speaking to each other. Granted, those conversations are usually pretty short. It’s probably not the most effective way to meet new people and make new friends. But one time,...

The science of medicine has come a long way in the area of how we manage pain. In the mid to late 1800s, there was a product called Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup. It was sold to parents as a way to alleviate the constant crying of their babies, particularly when a baby is going through the painful teething process. And it definitely calmed down those infants – possibly because the main ingredient was morphine. Another medication, popular for treating coughing and diarrhea, was opium. And when...

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: When you're playing the icebreaker game "Tell a fun or odd fact about yourself" - what do you say? Links for this episode:   Meredith episode about curse words: https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/78996692/ep-149-or-what-makes-a-curse-word-a-curse-word-swearing-science   Popping out your...

I remember one of my first Airbnb experiences. I was traveling just here in Florida, and I had to stay one night on the other side of the state – in Delray Beach. I picked out a room, and reserved it, and waited for the host to approve it. Back then, I didn’t have much history so there weren’t many other hosts who could confirm that I was a good guest. But it got approved. And when I got there, I found out the host was an older woman – and I was her very first guest. And she was so nice! She...

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: What's a rule that you make everyone follow in your house? Links for this episode:   Plume of bacteria (AKA “toilet plume”): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilet_plume Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert: https://MeredithForReal.com To check out the new Tuesday Question and get...

If you’re married, you know that there will inevitably be some disagreements between you and your spouse. Could be about the most common things, like finances. Or sometimes you might have a big fight about something really minor, like choosing a restaurant. Usually, these things get resolved. Reasonable adults can figure out a solution or a compromise, and life goes on. For Ramon, that’s not how it worked out. He and his wife Lulu had gotten to the point where their marriage could not be...

We have a different type of episode today. Normally, we’d be hearing from someone who survived an animal attack, or was in a plane crash, or won lots of money on a TV game show. At the moment we have more than 170 episodes like that. But sometimes I end up with stories that are not quite long enough for a full episode. But they’re just too good not to use. So today, you’re about to hear three stories. The first one and the last one are just the storyteller talking. The story in between is a...

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: You're handed a box containing every item you've ever lost. What do you look for first? Links for this episode:   The Hoarder Within Us: The Psychology of Our Stuff: https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/79631536/ep-215-or-the-hoarder-within-us-the-psychology-of-our-stuff   Meredith’s...

On this podcast we’ve covered well over 170 crazy true stories, and several of those have been about animal attacks. I’ve had guests on who have been attacked by a rattlesnake, large dogs, an alligator, a monkey, a grizzly bear, an elephant, yellow jackets, and a shark. But we’ve never talked to a victim of a tiger attack – until today. Ironically, John was working in Russia as part of a conservation effort to protect tigers and other wild cats when this happened. And the only thing he had to...

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: What are you currently binging?     Links for this episode:   The Alone series on Hulu: https://www.history.com/shows/alone Woniya’s WWTL episode: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/75 Shogun: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2788316/ The Bear on Hulu: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14452776/ Breaking...

Our story today has to do with making decisions. As a child, most of the time, life is pretty easy because you don’t have to make any decisions. Everything in your life is decided for you – what clothes you wear each day, where you sleep, what you eat, everything. But as an adult, all of that changes. You take on responsibilities, and you have to make decisions. What to do for work, who you want to spend the rest of your life with (if anyone), which house to buy – it seems like we spend much...

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: Have you ever been involved with foster care? What was that experience like? Discussed in this episode: Walk A Mile In Their Shoes: https://WalkAMileMaine.org Fidget spinners: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidget_spinner WWTL episode 82 “Michael was abused with a sewing machine”...

Not too long ago, I went on Hulu, and I found the TV show Shark Tank, and I went all the way back and watched every episode starting at Season 1. I’ve always had that entrepreneurial spirit, wanting to start businesses and make money by working for myself. And that’s what I’ve pretty much done – I’ve been self-employed for more than 20 years. And now, I’m self-employed as a podcaster. But one thing I’ve never done – I’ve never been on Shark Tank. But Max has – and he did it as a teenager. Max...

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners.   The question for this episode: What's something you wish you could forget?   Links for this episode:   The horn I have on my bike: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ACAMJC/   The Charisma Quotient podcast with Kimmy Seltzer: https://www.kimmyseltzer.com/podcast/   Meredith for Real episode 226 – From Trafficking Victim to...

Nancy Brophy fills her novels with romantic betrayals and murder. It’s a far cry from her quiet life in the suburbs, where she and her chef husband, Dan, are living out their golden years. But when Dan is shot dead, Nancy finds herself at the center of a murder case that could be ripped from the pages of her novels. From Wondery, this is a story about what happens when the line blurs between fiction and reality. Listen to Happily Never After: Dan & Nancy early and ad-free on Wondery+....

How would you handle it if you ended up having a medical condition that suddenly made you different from everyone else, in the most embarrassing way possible? That’s what happened to Mike. Today you’ll hear about when Mike got the news from his doctor – sorry, you won’t be able to poop the normal way any more. From now on, for the rest of your life, you’ll use a bag, actually called a pouch, and you’re gonna poop directly from your stomach into that. And when Mike got that news, he was just a...

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: What’s something you LOVE, that everyone else hates? Links for this episode: The smell of horse farts Awesome Facts about Bats Meredith For Real episode 143 - Why is cannibalism taboo? Placenta, Columbus & Communion Opossums The TV show Alone WWTL episode 75 – Woniya was alone in the Arctic To check out...

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: When you were a child, did you ever have a same-age friend die? How did you handle it? Links for this episode:   Meredith For Real ep 165 – Grieving during the...

I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of human endurance. What are we actually capable of doing? It’s almost always a lot more than we think. At some point, I want to do a long distance bike ride. So far, the longest I’ve biked in a day is about 50 or 60 miles. And that was right here in this area, so afterward I went home and slept in my own bed. But I’d really like to bike from here in the Tampa Bay area, across to the other side of Florida, the east coast. It would probably take me...

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: Is there a specific person in your life who you consider to be your enemy? How did that come to be? WWTL episode 166 – Suzanne was stuck on the boat Tim Ferriss has a fascinating conversation with Barbara Corcoran To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at...

Enjoy this special presentation of RISK!, a podcast where people tell jaw-dropping true stories they never thought they'd dare to share in public.   In this episode, Cory Byrom and Chris Lundy share stories about the best and worst times with their friends from childhood.   For more episodes of RISK!, be sure to check them out wherever you get your podcasts. Also: This is the video from the TODAY Show that you’ll hear about in this week’s Listener...

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: Have you ever gone back to visit your childhood home? How would you describe that experience? To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Sponsor deals: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code WHATWAS at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your...

There are few forces in the world stronger than a mother protecting her baby. If you’re outdoors and you happen to come across a mama bear, everyone knows you better not get between her and her cubs. Actually, it’s a bad idea to be anywhere near them. If you appear as any kind of a threat, it’s not gonna turn out well. But I would say that’s just as true for human mothers. They will do anything to make sure their baby is safe – and that includes risking their own life to save their...

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: You earn a million dollars (tax free) for every full year you spend in a maximum security prison. How long would you stay? To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Sponsor deals: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code WHATWAS at...

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group and post some of your answers. The question for this episode: You get to have lunch with any living celebrity. Who do you choose? To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Sponsor deals: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code WHATWAS at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. This episode is sponsored...